G>From: Garth <[log in to unmask]> >Date: Mon, 1 Sep 1997 12:50:07 GMT+0200 >Subject: Re: honey weights G>Donald Aiken: Two beekeepers will never agree to anything, but what about Honey Packers? And that brings to mind another beekeeping fable.......... A large well known US honey packer passed on. He was very successful and very wealthy and his later years was forever being asked by universities to explain his personal success. He was always's quoted as saying that he learned at a early age, he never finished high school, that he could make it by buying honey, packing it, and selling it by adding 5%. All knew that this was impossible as the shrink on honey is grater then that but because of his success he was given many honorary degrees from the most prestigious economic institutions and governments. (Harvard gave him two.) When he got to Heavens Gate a place that we all know has only a few beekeepers but NO (0) honey packers because none have ever lived up to the 10 Commandments. St. Peter was there directing traffic and motioned for the Honey Packer to get on the going down cloud as there was a place for him but not in Heaven because of his poor record on earth. Well the Honey Packer was less then delighted and pulled out his copy of his records and pleaded with St. Peter to audit them with him as he knew that much of what was written down about him was collected from the beekeepers he purchased honey from and honey packers he competed with and he wanted a chance to correct the record. St. Peter agreed and at once jumped into it with the Honey Packer and asked if it was true the he made his fortunes by buying honey from beekeepers and adding 5% and then selling it. The Honey Packer said it was. St. Peter said he had asked around and could not find any academic, not a single one who would say it was possible to buy honey and sell it and only add 5% and even brake even. Beekeepers say that you must be short weighing the honey by 5% when you buy it from them, other honey packers say that you are adding 5% water, and retailers suspect that you are adding 5% corn syrup. If any of this is true you can not get into Heaven you know. The Honey Packers said he knew all that and he did none of these things as his own method of doing business which he had learned early in school worked well and he did not need to lie, steal, and cheat like the other honey packers. Sure enough St. Peter check the records for accuracy and the Honey Packer was telling the truth and he was truly a righteous person and had lived by the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule and he had earned not only much wealth on earth but a place in Heaven. (That's the part that makes this story a fable and I could stop here but you all would think I too had cheated you.) St. Peter, who had a Golden Doctorate in Business Economics, said that he was still not satisfied and the Honey Packer would have to tell him his secret in making a profit by adding only 5% to the honey he sold. The Honey Packer said OK. "I buy the honey and add 5%, I buy it for $1. and sell it for $5 and this 5% formula has worked for me since high school and I never have figured out why others don't use it." (I guess there's a moral here but I won't waste anyone's time explaining that not all Beekeepers or Honey Packers did that well in school and today those who buy in US pounds and tons and sell in grams may have an advantage because they fill more jars.<G>) ttul, the OLd Drone (Its only a fable) (c) Permission is granted to freely copy this document in any form, or to print for any use. (w)Opinions are not necessarily facts. Use at own risk.